Dr. P.A. Lakshminarayanan, Head of Engine R&D at Ashok Leyland has been selected for Fellow Grade Status by SAE International. SAE Fellowship is the highest grade of membership issued by SAE International, a global association of more than 121,000 engineers and related technical experts in the automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle industries. It recognises and honours long-term members who have made a significant impact on society's mobility technology through leadership, research, and innovation. This honour, established in 1975, is bestowed upon an average of 20 worldwide recipients each year. 

Dr. Lakshminarayanan is being recognised for his research related to combustion, flows and tribology in internal-combustion engines and for the development of various other engines. Over the past three decades, with Ashok Leyland and earlier with Kirloskar Oil Engines, he has been actively involved with the design and development of 26 different direct-injection diesel engines for both on- and off-road applications that have been recognized for their worthiness to meet the exacting Indian conditions. 

Along with co-authors, Dr. Lakshminarayanan has written 39 research papers on tribology, combustion, flow, and emissions, three of which have been recognised by national and international awards. He also has been granted five patents, and his proposal for the publication of a book on diesel combustion has been accepted by the leading European technical publisher, Springer Verlag. Awarded the highest honour by the Indian Automotive Engineering Society, now part of SAE-India, Dr. Lakshminarayanan holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology–Madras.

General Motors India has launched the Chevrolet-OK Cars Program to buy and sell pre-owned cars. The Chevrolet-OK Cars network of outlets is being rolled out nationally in a phased manner and will also buy all popular brands of cars in exchange for the sale of new cars from the Chevrolet stable. The pre-owned programme from Chevrolet has since become operational in 9 outlets across 6 cities, with three outlets in Delhi and NCR, two outlets in Mumbai and one each in Pune, Hyderabad, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. The programme will expand to 30 countrywide outlets by this year-end. 

The cars offered through Chevrolet-OK, outlets will go through a strict, 110-point checklist by GM India trained engineers, a thorough vehicle reconditioning program, besides a detailed history check. Chevrolet-OK Cars will be sold with a 1-year/15,000 km limited warranty, along with three labour-free services for Chevrolet cars. The programme will also provide an opportunity for additional revenue to GM India’s dealers across the nation and ensure the quality of pre-owned cars available to the customer.

Hyundai Motor India has entered the taxi segment in Mumbai with its Santro. The automaker handed over its first batch of Santro cars to the Mumbai Taxi Union recently. Mumbai city has approx 50,000 black and yellow taxis, which are to be replaced by new vehicles. In the first run, the metropolis will have 30 Santro cars plying on the roads, as per the decision taken by the Taxi and Autorickshaw Welfare Sangh. 

The decision is in line with the state government’s policy to phase out the 25-year old vehicles plying as taxis. In all, 7,000 old taxis will be replaced in the first phase and by December’09 Hyundai proposes to sell around 1250 Santro taxis out of which 500 will be equipped with AC in Mumbai. Hyundai Motor India is offering the Santro at a special price of Rs. 2,42,500 for the cabbies in Mumbai. The Hyundai dealer will also facilitate for the black and yellow colouring of the taxi.